Sweet and buttery orange drop cookies have a fluffy cake-like texture bursting with orange flavour. They’re coated with a thick layer of orange-infused glaze which really takes them over the top.

These cookies have been a tradition in my Italian family for a long time. For special occasions like a bridal shower, baptism or milestone birthday gathering, orange drop cookies always appear on the sweet table. They’re straight up irresistible.

I like to break rules so I usually don’t wait for a special occasion to make these cookies, I make them any time. They’re so darn good and I’ve been known to eat two or three at a time!

Over the years the recipe has been shared with many extended family members. In the original version, the cookies are not glazed but simply dusted with icing sugar. That’s a great way to serve them and they look pretty and delightful. But I decided to jazz up these cookies with a luscious glaze which adds more sweetness and orange flavour goodness. If you prefer not to glaze the cookies and choose the dusted icing sugar option instead, I promise they’ll still be delicious and I won’t be offended!

Why these cookies are a favourite

light airy cake-like texture
delicate consistency that melts in your mouth
delightful and fresh with the essence of orange zest both inside and outside the cookie
choice of sweet glaze with a burst of orange flavour or a sweet dusting of icing sugar
unique pale orange colour
resemblance to miniature cakes or cupcakes

How to make orange drop cookies

Since these cookies are drop cookies, they are much less work than other types of cookies that require rolling into a ball or rolling out and cutting. Just 6 staple ingredients are required to make these cookies (not including the glaze) it couldn’t be simpler! Here’s the process:

Infuse the sugar with orange zest
Beat butter, infused sugar, eggs and orange juice
Add flour and baking powder and mix to combine
Chill the batter
Drop tablespoonfuls of batter onto baking sheets
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes then cool
Mix the 4 ingredient glaze and spread on top or alternatively dust the cookies with icing sugar

Tips for baking and serving orange drop cookies

Start with butter and eggs at room temperature
Refrigerate batter for 15 - 20 minutes before dropping cookies onto baking sheets
Arrange cookie dough at least 2” apart as they expand during baking
There may be one or two extra zested oranges that are not needed for their juice. In this case, treat yourself to a sweet orange snack or juice the extra oranges and drink the delicious juice!
Don’t make the glaze too far ahead of time as it will set. Should the glaze set before you use it, microwave for 8 – 10 seconds to loosen it up.
Ideally, serve cookies same day baked. To store cookies for a longer period of time freeze them in an airtight container. To thaw frozen cookies, transfer them to a rack to defrost at room temperature.

You’ll fall in love with these orange cookies and with so much orange goodness, you may even get a hit of Vitamin C!

Recipe

Orange Drop Cookies

Sweet and buttery cookies with a cake-like texture bursting with orange flavour. The cookies are coated with an orange-infused glaze or the alternative option of dusting with icing sugar.

Servings 30 cookies

Ingredients

Cookies

¾ cups granulated sugar
1 orange, zested
½ cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 eggs, at room temperature
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from the zested orange plus 1 more)
2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder

Glaze option

2 cups icing sugar
1 orange, zested, plus more zest from 1 more orange for garnish, if desired
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon butter, melted

Alternative option to glaze

1 cup icing sugar for dusting cookies

Instructions

Prepare large baking sheets by lining with parchment paper. See Step 6 for preheating the oven while chilling the cookie batter.
Add the granulated sugar into a small bowl. Add the orange zest to the sugar. Stir to combine to infuse the sugar with orange flavour.
In a large bowl with a fork or spatula, cream together butter and orange infused sugar until smooth. Add eggs, and orange juice and mix to achieve a creamy liquid texture.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet batter and with a spatula, mix well to combine. The dough will be thick.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Meanwhile, while the oven preheats, transfer the dough to refrigerator and chill for 15 - 20 minutes.
Drop 2 tablespoons of chilled dough 2” apart on the prepared baking sheets. Do not flatten. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 - 12 minutes until just lightly golden.
Remove from oven and let cookies set on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the glaze option, add the glaze ingredients to a medium bowl and mix well to incorporate. With a spreader knife, spread a dollop of glaze over each cooled cookie, allowing the glaze to drip down the sides of the cookies. If desired, immediately sprinkle cookies with additional orange zest. Allow glaze to set before serving.
Alternatively, omit the glaze option and dust the cooled cookies with icing sugar.